Santa Rita Winery

NileGuide Expert Says:

Pretty, elegant, relaxing, an easy trip from Santiago to some of the tastiest wine in the region.

Address:

Camino Padre Hurtado 0695, Alto Jahuel
Santiago, Chile

Phone:

(56-2) 3622520, (56-2) 3622594,

NileGuide Expert tip:

Don't miss the secret! (private) museum on the grounds of this vineyard. Kill four birds with one stone, wine tasting, relaxing, lunch, and a privileged look into the country's history.

Description:

Santa Rita Winery is a unique find in the area, inasmuch as visiting the winery is a walk through the history of the wines, and the land, but also gives a privileged view into a rare private art collection (no pictures, please!). Hotel Casa Real and Restaurant La Casa de Doña Paula are onsite, if you don't want to let the afternoon go by without a tasty lunch or if a weekend away is just what the doctor ordered.

Monday through Friday, the tours cost 8,600 CLP (less than $20 at press time), and include a tour of the cellars, through the winery's main plant and where the vinification process is explained a tasting, with a souvenier glass and two Premium wine tastings, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, and a tour through the museum which contains pre-and post conquest (Precolombian and Postcolombian items) containing some 2,000 pieces. Tour times are at 11:30 AM or 4:00 PM.

On Saturdays and Sundays, the tours come with lunch (but no tasting, that's 5,000 extra), where the minimim expenditure per person is 12,500 CLP (approximately $25). Tour times on the weekends are 12:30 PM (1 PM lunch) and 2 PM start (with a 2PM lunch and 3:30 tour.)

To get to Viña Santa Rita, take the metrotren (not the metro) from Estación Central to Buin (about 40 minutes), and from there, walk one block south and take a colectivo (shared taxi) or bus number 81 to the entrance of the viña, from which the restaurant is about a 20 minute walk. Alternatively, take a taxi from Buin for less than 5,000 pesos (about $10).